Tie and rail-fastener.



0,1". HARMS.. TIE AND RAIL PASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

wi/liueooeo GABL 'r. HARMS, or FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE.

TIE AND RAIL-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1913.

Application filed August 24, 1912. Serial No. 716,875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL T. HARMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fayetteville, in the county of Lincoln and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ties and Rail-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in metallic ties and rail fasteners therefor, and has for its primary object to provide a metallic tie with spring clamping levers by" means of which rails may be fastened transversely thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of this nature which may be cheaply manufactured, easily applied in position for use, and'whic'h shall be very durable and reliable. 4

The invention also aims to generally improve devices of this nature to render them safer and more commercially desirable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metallic tie having transverse I channels in itsupper face adapted to receive clamping levers pivotally secured to the upthe track rails and also having spring per face of the tie and adapted to removably engage the base flanges of the rails and keep track in perfect gage. J

With these and other objects in view, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in cortain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention partly in sect-ion. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view taken on the plane of line 3-3 in Fi 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one o the clamping levers, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the tie.

Similar parts are referred toin the following description and designated in the accompany drawings by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 1

designates my improved metallic tie, which has a cross section, preferably in the shape of an I-beam, having a web 2, a base 3 and top 4. A plurality of vertical ribs or flanges 5 extend at spaced intervals between the top and bottom of the tie and are for the pur pose of strengthening the same. Transverse projecting portions 6 extend in spaced pairs across the upper surface of the tie 1 and form suitable channels for the reception of= the base flanges of the track rails 7, said rails being of the ordinary construction. It will be noted that the upper surfaces of the offset portions 6 are inclined outwardly away from the rails 7 and that the walls of the channels formed by said offset portions extend somewhat above the side edges of the base flanges of the rails. The rails 7 fit snugly within these channels and are therefore securely held against lateral movement, and to prevent longitudinal movement of the rails and also to hold them securely upon the tics 1, I provide spring clamping lovers 8. Each of these levers is formed of a continuous spring metal rod and comprises an elongated arm or handle 9, a vertical portion 10 disposed at right angles to the arm 9, and a clamping jaw 11 bent at right vangles'to the vertical portion and extending parallel and in the same direction as the arm 9. Two of these clamping levers are provided at each end of the tie on opposite sides of the web 2 and are secured in place by vertical openings 12 which extend through the top 4 of the tie and through the projecting portions 6.

Each of these openings 12 receives the vertical portion 10 of one of the spring clamping levers, said vertical port-ion being equal in length to the opening. In order that the jaw 11 of each of the levers may bear against the base flange of one of the rails 7, 1 provide each of the projecting portions 6 with a recess, the bottom 13 of which is on a level with the outer edge of the top surface of the rail flange. The levers are locked in their effective position by slots 14 which extend transversely of certain of the reinforcing ribs. These slots are at such a distance below the top it of the tie 1 as to make it necessary to spring the arms 9 downwardl to cause them to engage the walls of sai slot. Each of the slots is inclined so as to bring its walls into parallel relationship with the inclined lever arm 9 positioned within the slot, and each of said slots is inclined upwardly and has its inner end enlarged by cutting away a portion of the top wall of the slot so as to form a locking recess 15.

In assembling my improved structure, the ties are first laid and securely tamped after which the rails 7 are placed in position in the channels formed in the tops of the ties. During this operation, the spring clamping levers 8 have been swung at right angles to the tie so as to throw the clamping jaws 11 out of thepath of the rails. When the rails have been positioned, the levers are swung parallel to the tie and locked by having their ends fastened in the slots let. It will be noted that the clamping levers on one side of the web' 2 extend inwardly when in their locked position and that the levers of the other side of the web extend outwardly when in their locked position.

It .is to be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, slight changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope and s irit of the invention, as defined by the c aims.

,What I claim is l. A track structure comprising a tie formed with transverse channels in the top thereof, rails positioned within said channels, and s ring clamping levers rotatably secured to t e tie and adapted to removably engage the base flanges of said rails.

2. A track structure com risin a tie having transverse channels cm in the top thereof, rails adapted to'be positioned within said channels and spring clamping levers adapted to removably secure said rails in position, each of the clamping levers comprising a vertical portion secured with- 40 in an opening formed in the tie, an elongated locking arm and a jaw adapted to be swung into one of said transverse channels so as to engage the base flange on one of the rails.

and adapted to removably engage the base flanges of said rails, said levers being held in engagement with the rails by means of the aforementioned slots.

4. The combination with a tie havin a plurality of slotted ribs, and rails extendlng transversely of said tie, of angular spring clamping levers, each of which comprises a vertical portion rotatably secured to said tie, a jaw extending at right angles to said vertical portion and an elon ated locking arm adapted to be seated within one of said slots whereby the jaw is held in looking engagement with one of said rails.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CARL T. HARMS.

Witnesses:

T. O. BAGLEY, N. S. RALEY. 

